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iPhone 5s just caught on fire

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TehFalcon

TehFalcon

macrumors 65816
Original poster
Jan 6, 2011
1,150
1,117
United States
My iPhone 5S has just caught fire while i was using it (not charging.)

Screen bulged up so I yanked it off, and disconnected the battery.

I have pictures.

No 3rd Party cables or anything. All stock.

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Last edited:
AppleFanatic10 said:
OMG!! I hope you're alright. A phone should never do that. I would go to an Apple store ASAP and get that sorted out. That is unacceptable!
Click to expand...

Apple Store is 2 Cities away, I'm on the Phone with Apple right now.

My finger got burned from something "spitting" out of the battery while it was venting.

All in all, I read about this happening before, but never really didn't think it would do that on MY iPhone..

My luck ._.

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Bacong said:
Dude, get that thing outside and don't breathe those fumes.
Click to expand...

Too late on the breathing.

I got it outside AFTER it vented because it was extremely hot.
 
if your finger was burned, go to the hospital so that they can properly identify your chemical burn. Then, take your phone, finger, and hospital bill to Apple and demand a full refund, new phone, and a reimbursement for your hospital visit. If they refuse, sue. You should not have to go to the hospital because of your iPhone.

For anyone who may take offense to my suggestion he sue: I'm not the type of person who believes that litigation should always be involved. But at the very least, Apple should be bending over backwards to satisfy the OP. Get pictures of your burn, get a signed statement from the doctor, and show all this to the manager at the Apple Store. I'm sure you'll be amply compensated.
 
Bacong said:
if your finger was burned, go to the hospital so that they can properly identify your chemical burn. Then, take your phone, finger, and hospital bill to Apple and demand a full refund, new phone, and a reimbursement for your hospital visit. If they refuse, sue. You should not have to go to the hospital because of your iPhone.

For anyone who may take offense to my suggestion he sue: I'm not the type of person who believes that litigation should always be involved. But at the very least, Apple should be bending over backwards to satisfy the OP. Get pictures of your burn, get a signed statement from the doctor, and show all this to the manager at the Apple Store. I'm sure you'll be amply compensated.
Click to expand...

It's not a bad burn though, it is just a slight red mark.

I would feel completely retarded/greedy.
 
Bacong said:
if your finger was burned, go to the hospital so that they can properly identify your chemical burn.
Click to expand...

More likely than not, it's a first degree temperature burn, not a chemical burn. The MSDS sheet for LiIon batteries indicate that flushing any chemically exposed areas with water should be sufficient to mitigate any adverse affects from chemical exposure.

A serious pure temperature burn is another matter, but given that the OP is clearly able to type, it's reasonable to assume his fingers are okay.

Then, take your phone, finger, and hospital bill to Apple and demand a full refund, new phone,
Click to expand...

He will likely get one or the other, but not both. Getting a refund OR a new phone will make the OP whole. Getting both is overreaching.


and a reimbursement for your hospital visit. If they refuse, sue. You should not have to go to the hospital because of your iPhone.
Click to expand...

He doesn't need to go to the hospital. And if he genuinely did, it would probably be too late by now anyway.

For anyone who may take offense to my suggestion he sue: I'm not the type of person who believes that litigation should always be involved. But at the very least, Apple should be bending over backwards to satisfy the OP.
Click to expand...

You're making reactionary assumptions before Apple has even been made aware of the issue, and had an opportunity to bend over backwards (or not). So yeah, people are gonna take issue to that.

OP: Apple definitely needs to do you a solid, but don't start waving subpoenas around until after Apple has had a chance to make it right. Give them an opportunity, if it's a good response for you, then take it. If not, then escalate. But stay calm and don't be confrontational unless it becomes necessary.
 
businezguy said:
I wonder how this could happen.
Click to expand...

A few possibilities:

- Defective or damaged charging circuitry
- Internal damage (either factory or otherwise) causing a tear in the lining of the battery
- Defective or damaged cells
- Moisture or water damage causing short circuits in the wrong places, or water or moisture coming in contact with the material inside the battery somehow.
- Manufacturing defects: bad lining/container, bad charging logic or circuitry, chemical breakdown of electrodes or charge material
- Keys or other metal objects shorting contacts at the wrong place and at the wrong time
- Excessive heat or voltage applied

Batteries are serious business. Even alkaline batteries carry a risk of explosion due to damage, though the effective power is probably less.
 
scaredpoet said:
A few possibilities:

- Defective or damaged charging circuitry
- Internal damage (either factory or otherwise) causing a tear in the lining of the battery
- Defective or damaged cells
- Moisture or water damage causing short circuits in the wrong places
- Keys or other metal objects shorting contacts at the wrong place and at the wrong time

Batteries are serious business. Even alkaline batteries carry a risk of explosion due to damage, though the effective power is probably less.
Click to expand...

Phone didn't touch any metal objects, and there was no moisture (nor has there ever been), and there is no physical damage to the phone, i treated it like a baby.
 
WAM2 said:
Phone didn't touch any metal objects, and there was no moisture (nor has there ever been), and there is no physical damage to the phone, i treated it like a baby.
Click to expand...

Then you need to tell Apple this and get a replacement.
 
That is scary, OP I hope you are okay and get this mess sorted out.

I read that LI-Ion batteries have the potential to do that and can under the right circumstances. Scary never the less as you could have had an iphone with a bad battery.
 
Holy smoke. Good thing you weren't talking on the phone when that happened or you'd have a serious face burn.
 
WAM2 said:
No, I don't have a reason too, and I love Apple.

Crap happens, I just didn't think it would happen to me.
Click to expand...

Agreed. This stuff happens. Apple gets more attention over it because they are considered a high end brand. It's like people obsessing over Teslas catching on fire. That happens all the time with gas-powered cars too.

Take it to an apple store and I guarantee you they will swap it out immediately. They will likely want it studied by engineers just in case there is some design flaw that could result in lawsuits. Apple takes this stuff very seriously.
 
mentaluproar said:
Agreed. This stuff happens. Apple gets more attention over it because they are considered a high end brand. It's like people obsessing over Teslas catching on fire. That happens all the time with gas-powered cars too.

Take it to an apple store and I guarantee you they will swap it out immediately. They will likely want it studied by engineers just in case there is some design flaw that could result in lawsuits. Apple takes this stuff very seriously.
Click to expand...

I do hope the issue does get fixed. I've read about other iPhones (5 and 5C) Catching fire, so there has got to be something thats flawed.
 
@OP, I'm curious, how long have you owned this particular phone. I'm wondering if this could happen at any time to phones that we've owned for more than a month or so.
 
WAM2 said:
I do hope the issue does get fixed. I've read about other iPhones (5 and 5C) Catching fire, so there has got to be something thats flawed.
Click to expand...

As already stated, it's not just iPhones. Laptop batteries, cell phones of all brands, and even batteries for large airliners have been known to vent (the link explains why, by the way). Batteries, like other devices, have a percentage of defective components. It just so happens that this component stores a large amount of energy, and if released in an uncontrolled manner, the results are pretty dramatic.
 
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